Vera's eyes shot open, widening in panic. She recoiled, flinching away from the blinding light coming from every direction. Her tired, foggy mind struggled to make sense of her surroundings. Was she dead, trapped in some heavenly realm of nothing? Her new world was nothing but whiteness. Vera stood up, realizing she wasn't in a literal void, but a room with bright lights everywhere. Not large, either. When she lifted her arms, she immediately struck the ceiling. From its touch, it seemed like some sort of glass?
"Lord Tarazed?" Vera's last few memories remained fuzzy. She'd been walking home from school, then blackness.
"Aquila, you're awake," Lord Tarazed said, much to Vera's audible relief. "You still live."
"So it seems." Vera paced around the room, finding it only about six feet long. She saw no exits, but the light made picking out details difficult.
"Don't panic," Denebokab said.
"Why?" Vera said out loud.
"Because you are in our custody, Altair."
A voice made Vera jump. She scanned the surroundings for the sound's source, but found nothing.
"I've been captured?" Vera's breath hastened, an automatic reaction of her human body. "Are you going to hurt me? I'm just an ordinary girl!"
"Spare us the lies," The speaker sounded male. "We tested your blood. It wasn't human."
Vera's face flashed with anger, furious that she'd gotten caught in this predicament. Still,, her jaw set in a stubborn line, refusing to offer her enemy anything.
"You're not denying it."
"Believe whatever you want."
"You spoke to someone earlier. The Altair hive mind?" Genuine curiosity crept into the speaker's voice. "Can you speak with the Altair leadership?"
"I dunno."
"If you're listening, there's no reason for a war between our people. If you want food, we can help you find an alternative. There are plenty of uninhabited planets that could fit your needs. No one needs to die."
"Listen here, human. We do not negotiate; we do not offer mercy. You are food, nothing else. Humanity, the Ectutai, and your entire universe will be our feeding ground. This is inevitable."
Vera had had enough of this human's pathetic pleading. It was time he understood that the Altair didn't make bargains—they took. Simple as that.
"Oh, um, sorry, Lord Tarazed," Vera thought, cringing. "That sorta spilled out." She'd let her temper get the better of her.
But the Altair general didn't sound displeased—more amused than anything. "No, it was the proper response. Our prey must know who they are dealing with."
The speaker stayed silent for several long moments, mulling over her words. Were they scared? Vera hoped so. She hoped everyone listening to this conversation was shaking in their boots.
"We have other questions for you. It'd be wise for you to answer them. No one will save you," the speaker said. "If you try to escape, this prison will explode."
"What?!" Vera had contemplated transforming into her true form, but if this place was booby-trapped…
"We will leave you alone for now. When we return, we expect answers—or else your situation will become even more uncomfortable. You aren't human, Altair. You have no rights."
"I…" Vera's voice caught in her throat, the true direness of her situation settling in. Involuntary tears stung her eyes, her body quavering. She would die in this little box.
Miserable, Vera curled up into a ball against a shining wall and sobbed into her shirt. The human's final words hung over her head, tormenting her. The humans weren't bluffing. She knew what they did, even to their own kind. They'd hurt her until they got their answers. She was all alone.
"No, you aren't alone," Lord Tarazed said. "The Altair are one. We are legion. We will rescue you."
"But!" Wouldn't it be smarter to destroy her, so their secrets didn't leak out? Lord Tarazed should order her to break her prison and end everything.
"Yeah! The Altair don't abandon their own, Aquila." Denebokab said, his words a beacon in the dark.
"Stay put," Lord Tarazed said. "Denebokab will work on his end to locate you. The Ectutai are involved in your imprisonment somehow."
"Don't worry, I've got this." Denebokab shot her a mental wink. "Hold tight. You'll be free in no time."
"Thanks." Even the mental projection of her gratitude wasn't enough. She wiped her eyes, hardening her expression. It didn't matter what the humans did to her. Her comrades would rescue her, and they'd pay for this insult. The humans had just committed the worst mistake of their lives.
///
"What do you think?" Dr. Gold said, adjusting his spectacles.
"She's a good imitation," Shapley said, his mouth a hard frown. "Too good." Despite himself, the sight of a sad little girl curled up in a ball tugged at his heartstrings. The Altair were cruel monsters.
"Odd. She's clearly talking to the Altair hive mind, but we can't detect anything." Gold examined the figures appearing on the alien equipment before him, the readings were beyond anything Shapley's grasp but the alien seemed to understand them.
They stood in LUVOLT's headquarters, in the secure bunker underneath. Screens lined the walls, humanity's highest-tech computers, but the alien computer was new. A large and somewhat bulky contraption, with a circular screen. The sole technological gift they received from the Ectutai in their brief acquaintance.
While this might seem meager, its specifications dazzled Earth's scientists, well beyond anything they possessed. In Shapley's opinion, it was like offering a smartphone to a toddler, a painful reminder of just how backwards humanity was in comparison. Frankly, he wondered if they were even ready for this technology, but they were at war. Humanity would adapt.
"What do you think of our guest, Dr. Raldu?"
"Troubling." Unlike the initial members of the first contact group, the elderly Ectutai scientist wore no protective suit. The conditions weren't comfortable, but he only shrugged them off. He's argued the suit would only impede his efforts. "Our initial screen flagged her as human."
"Can you improve your scanner's efficiency?"" Shapley asked. "So far, blood tests seem the most foolproof method, but that's not practical."
"It shouldn't be an issue," Dr. Raldu said. "My team will make the necessary adjustments."
"With that question settled, what about our guest?" The familiar voice said. Its sudden appearance made Gold jump and startled the others.
"Impossible," Gold said. "This bunker has the world's best security system. How did she crack it?"
Dr. Raldu blinked. "Who's this, then?" He peered at the colorful girl who'd invaded their computer screen.
"An interloper," Dr. Gold's mouth twisted into a scowl. "A digital entity, origin unknown."
"Oh," Dr. Raldu said, amazed.
Shapley only released a resigned sigh at the colorful anime figure on a monitor. This one always seemed to defy expectations. This was his first face-to-screen encounter with their mysterious digital alien benefactor. "What's necessary? We are at war."
Like a real person, Macauley sighed, somewhat downcast. "I feared you'd say that, but I don't have a better alternative. I'm amazed this girl fooled Rose, her friends, and her family."
"Yes, that is a troubling detail." Thankfully, Vera's parents came up clean. The Altair were cautious about spreading their influence. They didn't like risking themselves. Unlike monsters common in sci-fi, this hive mind didn't throw drones at a problem until it overwhelmed it, heedless of the cost.
"I wonder how much she's retained of the original Vera. Her memories, her personality?"
"What do you propose?" Shapley asked, curious.
"Let me talk with her. I want to assess how much she's like the original Vera," Macauley replied.
"Impossible!" Dr. Gold spluttered. "We have much more pressing issues to investigate first!"
"What do you hope to gain from this exchange?" Shapley asked.
On the screen, the animated girl blew out a breath. "If she's absorbed part of the original Vera's personality—we might reason with her, with the Altair hive."
"We are at war! They are trying to devour our universe!" Gold said, outraged.
But Dr. Raldu uttered a throaty laugh, intrigued. "You argue there might be something worth saving, eh?"
"Yes," Macauley replied. "To prevent more bloodshed, I'm willing to try anything. If we can learn more about the Altair, we might prevent further tragedies."
"Even though my initial attempt at diplomacy failed?" Shapley raised an eyebrow. Macauley, however, remained firm in her position.
"Very well." Even if Macauley's plan failed, a friendly, sympathetic face might trick the fake Vera into revealing more than she intended. They'd proven she had emotion, and Shapley would exploit that. "I'll authorize it."
"You realize this breaks protocol, right?" Dr. Gold said. "This alien possesses no formal connection to LUVOLT, the US government, or even the UN. Hell, she's not even of this world!"
"I'll take responsibility." Not that Vera's capture and imprisonment weren't already shady, but needs must.
"Good luck, lass," Dr. Raldu said, beaming ear to ear. "Let's pray you can pull off this long shot."
///
"Let me out of here!" Vera pounded a fist against her glass prison. The surface felt strange, like nothing she'd ever seen before. Was this alien?
"The Ectutai must have provided the materials to create this chamber," Lord Tarazed said. "The humans only provided the means to knock you unconscious."
"How long was I unconscious?" Without her phone or the sun, it was impossible to tell if she'd be trapped for hours, days, or weeks.
"Four days, seven hours, and nine minutes," Lord Tarazed said.
"That long?!" No wonder she seemed so famished. What the heck had they darted her with? This wouldn't have happened if they'd attacked her in her true form. Vera paced her chamber like a trapped animal.
"Hey, will I ever get food?" Vera yelled, banging hard on a wall. "I know you can hear me!"
"As you command."
Vera jumped, so startled her head clanged against the glass ceiling causing her to howl in pain. She gaped as a light panel flickered off, and a familiar face appeared on a wall screen, dressed as a maid.
"What will be your order?" Stella held a notebook and pen in hand.
"Stella Kilonova?" Vera's brain struggled to gather words, utterly bewildered. Why were her captors showing Vera Rose's favorite VTuber?
"Oh, like the outfit? And please, call me Macauley. It's my real name." Stella said, playing with her stereotypical maid outfit's hem and spinning around in a circle to show it off. "It's a new costume I made. It's a little stereotypical for a VTuber, but the fans love it. I'm showing it off next week. I've already announced on my channel that I'm getting a new outfit!"
"Huh?" That was like the twelfth least important question! And Vera noticed something odd about the VTuber she hadn't noticed before. Her model seemed too lifelike now, her expression impossibly detailed. The eyes were so expressive, almost human-like. Hadn't Rose said Stella was only an indie VTuber? How had she afforded such a model?
"You still haven't told me your order," Stella said, disrupting Vera's reverie.
"What do you have?" Vera said, forcing her brain to say something.
"The Ectutai's food dispenser can replicate anything. They use artificial proteins, water, and carbohydrates to synthesize anything! And it tastes just as delicious as the original! What will it be?"
"A hamburger?" Her Altair body needed protein the most, but usually anything sufficed.
"Toppings? Cheese? Would you like fries too?"
"A deluxe with cheese, I suppose?" Vera couldn't believe she was having this conversation.
"Okay, that will be a deluxe hamburger with cheese and fries. Don't worry about the bill; it's on the house."
Much to Vera's astonishment, a wall panel opened, revealing a steaming hamburger on a small white plate. Poking between the bun were tomato, lettuce, and cheese. Fries surrounded it, a bottle of ketchup and mustard sat on the plate's side.
"Enjoy," Stella gave Vera a bow.
"Thanks," Vera said tentatively, wondering if she was dreaming.
"No, this isn't a dream," Lord Tarazed said. "I would eat it. The humans need you alive."
"It might be poisoned," Tseen Foo said. "Remember what happened to Okeb. They somehow stripped his connection to the hive."
"Doubtful. They want Aquila for information," Lord Tarazed said.
"Your funeral, Aquila." Tseen Foo threw a mental shrug. "Doesn't matter to me either way."
"Thanks," Vera thought sourly, approaching the offered hamburger with tentative steps. Stella continued to watch her, offering Vera an encouraging smile.
"Fine, whatever." Before she could stop herself, Vera ripped the hamburger from the plate and bit into it. Her eyes widened in astonishment. The meat was tender, and the vegetables tasted freshly picked. She devoured it in her ravenous hunger. Even the fries were fantastic—hot and crispy.
"I'm glad you enjoy it," Stella said.
"Okay, what are you doing here?" Vera said through mouthfuls. It was rude, but she was beyond caring about such niceties.
"You were captured, thrown into a cell in a space shuttle—yes, you're in space now, sorry if this is your first time—and forced into a harsh interrogation. I thought you might need a friend."
"I'm in space?!" Vera coughed on her hamburger, pounding her chest to free up the food. "Shouldn't I be floating?"
"The Ectutai have mastered space travel. Artificial gravity is a simple matter to them," Stella said, her smile amused.
No wonder the other voice seemed so confident she wouldn't escape. How the heck was she meant to escape this?!
"We haven't forgotten you." Denebokab said. "Keep her talking. She might reveal more."
It confused Vera why the VTuber had given her that information. It was obvious it hadn't been a slip of the tongue. What was her game?
"Why you?"
"Why not? I'm a friendly face!" Stella gave Vera a beaming smile.
"What? That answers nothing!"
"You're confused why an indie VTuber is working with aliens and the government, right?"
"It had crossed my mind," Vera said, annoyed.
"I have a very versatile resume."
"What do you want?" Vera's head started throbbing. Was this some bizarre interrogation technique? Confuse and annoy her to death?
"To talk," Stella said, more seriously. "I want to help you. Despite you being an Altair, you shouldn't be treated like an animal. All beings deserve dignity."
"Right." Vera didn't hide her skepticism.
In an all-too-human gesture, Stella rubbed her face. "I won't lie. You might be here a while. But I will do everything to make you comfortable. Would you like a bed, pillow, blankets?"
"I want nothing from you." They sounded heavenly, but Vera refused to be seduced by these false comforts.
"Well, I'll make sure you get a cot at least," Stella said, like she hadn't heard Vera's protest. "But I'd better get going. I'm streaming in ten minutes. I'm playing some retro games—whatever I stumbled upon on Steam. It should be fun. I know Rose will like it. Goodbye, Vera."
"Wait! You know Rose?" The screen blinked off, leaving Vera alone. "That girl!" She kicked the wall, which did little beyond making Vera more frustrated. In their brief meeting, Stella had left her with more questions than answers. Had the VTuber done that on purpose?
Minutes later, a cot dropped into her cell from above, some indistinct figures hovering over an unseen hatch. Blankets and pillows arrived next.
"I don't want any of it, Stella!" Vera said, ignoring the comfort of the blankets and food, and huddling up in a cold corner. "You can't tempt me! I'm sleeping on the floor!"
An hour later, Vera sat on the cot, the blankets curled around her like a warm coat. She nibbled on the tuna sandwich she'd ordered from the wall replicator, hating herself for being so weak. The tuna meat was scrumptious, with just the right amount of mayo she liked.
"You won this round, Stella! But you'll get nothing else! You can't break me!" Vera thought. Still, she'd learned a few things. She'd discovered her prison's entrance. That would come in handy later when Denebokab rescued her.
Patience. That was all Vera needed. Then she'd escape and make whoever was controlling Stella suffer for humiliating her. No, the VTuber had already lost the battle. She just hadn't realized it yet.